In clarification, her piano teacher does teach a little by ear, but says my daughter is reluctant to sight-read, so she is pushing this area at this time in order to solidify. I feel that indicates she should move towards being a fiddler, rather than a violinist.

Because she is an Irish dancer, she is surrounded by Irish tunes, and we listen to them at home. Certainly she is more familiar with Irish music than classical.

What Sandy says about "blas" is precisely the area that concerns me. I have heard tunes played so stilted, and I have heard the same tune played full of life.

I understand about some violinists "playing folk badly is much more an indictment of their ear than of their training", but is it not also about bowing techniques, ornamentation on tunes, regional styles, etc? Once classically trained "fiddlers" are in the classically trained mould, can they break that mould?